Scientists have made an interesting discovery connecting sea otters to forest recovery, reinforcing their role as a keystone species. The researchers were then able to identify patterns, explaining ...
A southern sea otter with a purple sea urchin in Monterey Bay, California. (Credit: Morgan Rector) (CN) — Sea otters are voracious eaters, munching away on shellfish, urchins and other invertebrates ...
Their disappearance, combined with a massive marine heat wave called “the blob,” set off a cascade of catastrophic ecological changes that turned these kelp biodiverse hot spots into vast sea urchin ...
Sea otters are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures, beloved for their playful personalities and critical role in marine ecosystems. From their dense fur to their impressive tool use, these ...
When sea otters were reintroduced along the coastlines of islands in Southern California and British Columbia, researchers saw kelp forests return to areas that were destroyed by sea urchins. But how ...
There’s a creature lurking in the sea. It’s slick, fast, and if you get too close, it might chomp your face off. No, not sharks or giant squid — sea otters. “Sea otters,” you might say. “Don’t they ...
PORTLAND, Ore. — Sea otters have been missing from the Oregon coast for more than a century, and local non-profit Elakha Alliance is trying to bring them back. The marine mammals, which help protect ...
New research led by Monterey Bay Aquarium reveals a surprising ripple effect in coastal ecosystems: the collapse of one marine predator can benefit another. Published today in the journal Science ...
If you could walk the ocean floor off the coast of Cape Arago in Oregon in the summer, you’d find yourself in the mysterious green depths of a forest of kelp. Look up, and you’d see sunlight filtering ...
On a blue-sky afternoon, kayakers paddle past dozens of sea lions lolling in the sun and make a beeline toward the sea otters lounging on beds of eel grass at Elkhorn Slough on California’s central ...
Sea otters are making great strides toward recovery in California, and new research shows that their growing numbers are directly correlated with the decline of one of the most invasive species in the ...
An invasive species had taken over ecosystems across the West Coast and was threatening to dominate another one in Monterey ...